Madame Web (movie)

Release Year: 2024

Director: S. J. Clarkson 

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott

Genre: Action, Thriller, Superhero

Runtime: 116 minutes (1 hour 56 minutes)

 Synopsis

In 1973 Peru, pregnant researcher Constance Webb discovers a rare spider species with healing properties. Her security escort Ezekiel Sims betrays the team, shooting Constance to steal the spider. An indigenous tribe saves Constance by having one of their spiders bite her before she dies giving birth to daughter Cassandra.

Thirty years later in 2003 Manhattan, Cassandra "Cassie" Webb works as a paramedic alongside Ben Parker. After nearly drowning during a rescue, Cassie develops clairvoyant abilities allowing her to see the future. She begins experiencing visions of three teenage girls—Julia Cornwall, Mattie Franklin, and Anya Corazón—being murdered by a mysterious man in a Spider-suit.

The killer is Ezekiel Sims, now suffering from a terminal illness. He's plagued by visions showing these three girls as future Spider-Women who will kill him. Determined to prevent this fate, Ezekiel hunts the teenagers to murder them before they gain powers. Cassie intervenes, taking the girls on the run while trying to understand her new abilities.

Cassie travels to Peru seeking answers about her mother's research. There she learns from Santiago, a member of the spider tribe, that the bite her mother received passed psychic powers to Cassie. Meanwhile, Ezekiel tracks down the girls in New York. During a climactic fireworks display confrontation, Cassie uses her visions to outmaneuver Ezekiel. He falls to his death, but falling debris blinds Cassie and paralyzes her.

The film ends with Cassie in a wheelchair, now truly resembling the Madame Web from comics. She uses her visions to protect the three girls from afar. The final scene shows Ben's sister-in-law Mary Parker in the hospital, having just given birth to Peter Parker.

 Production

Sony began developing Madame Web for its Spider-Man Universe by September 2019 with Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless writing. S.J. Clarkson joined as director in May 2020 in her feature film directorial debut. Dakota Johnson was cast in early 2022, with Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O'Connor joining as the future Spider-Women. Tahar Rahim was cast as villain Ezekiel Sims, with Adam Scott and Emma Roberts rounding out the cast.

Principal photography ran from July to October 2022 across Massachusetts and Peru. The production filmed extensively in Boston, utilizing locations including the Massachusetts State House, South Station, and various neighborhoods. Additional filming occurred in Worcester and Waltham. The Peru sequences were shot on location to capture the Amazon rainforest setting. The reported production budget was $80 million net, making it one of Sony's more modestly budgeted superhero films.

The film underwent significant changes during production and post-production. According to Johnson, the script evolved dramatically from what she initially read, with decisions made by committee rather than creative filmmakers. Poor ADR work became a frequent criticism, particularly for Tahar Rahim's dialogue which appeared entirely redubbed. The November 2023 trailer revealed the premise began with "Meanwhile, in another universe," though Clarkson later clarified Madame Web existed in a standalone world.

 Themes

Madame Web explores motherhood and maternal sacrifice through Constance Webb's death protecting her unborn daughter and Cassie's reluctant guardian role for the three teenagers. Cassie transforms from an isolated loner into a protective mother figure, suggesting that family is defined by choice rather than blood.

Destiny versus free will drives the narrative as Ezekiel attempts to prevent his fated death by murdering the girls before they become Spider-Women. His actions paradoxically create the circumstances leading to his demise, demonstrating that trying to avoid destiny often causes it. Cassie learns to accept rather than fight her powers, finding purpose in protecting others.

The film examines responsibility without power—Cassie must protect three girls from a superpowered villain before any of them develop abilities. This inverts Spider-Man's famous motto, exploring how ordinary people can rise to extraordinary challenges through courage and sacrifice rather than superhuman gifts.

 Reception

Madame Web received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, earning 13% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 225 reviews with an average rating of 3.7/10. The consensus stated that this clairvoyant superhero origin story was a failure in just about every way. On Metacritic, it scored 26 out of 100 based on 46 critics, indicating generally unfavorable reviews. Audiences were slightly less harsh, giving it a C+ CinemaScore.

Critics criticized the clunky dialogue, choppy editing, poor special effects, and a predictable plot. Many reviewers noted Dakota Johnson's visible annoyance throughout the film, with some suggesting she appeared frustrated with the material. The ADR work for Tahar Rahim drew particular mockery, as his dialogue was clearly redubbed in post-production. The promised Spider-Women costumes appeared only briefly in vision sequences, disappointing audiences expecting more superhero action.

Johnson's promotional interviews became as notable as the film itself. During her Saturday Night Live monologue in January 2024, she joked about the film being like AI generating a "boyfriend's perfect movie." She dropped her talent agency WME days after the trailer released and signed with CAA, raising industry eyebrows. In post-release interviews, Johnson admitted she wasn't surprised by the reception and probably wouldn't do another superhero film, stating she didn't "make sense in that world."

 Box Office

Madame Web opened February 14, 2024 across 4,013 theaters alongside Bob Marley: One Love. Industry projections estimated $20-25 million for the six-day opening. Theater chains reported large numbers of pre-ordered tickets were canceled after poor reviews emerged. The film made $6 million opening day, earning just $15.1 million over its traditional weekend and $25.8 million for the full six-day President's Day opening, finishing second behind Bob Marley.

The $15.1 million traditional weekend opening marked the lowest debut for any Sony Spider-Man-related film, falling below Morbius's $39 million. The film collapsed 61% in its second weekend to just $6 million. By its third weekend, Madame Web reached $91 million worldwide but still trailed The Marvels' record-low MCU opening of $110.3 million. Competition from Dune: Part Two sealed its box office fate.

Madame Web concluded its theatrical run with $43.8 million domestically and $56.7 million internationally for a worldwide total of $100.5 million against its $80 million production budget. The film lost Sony an estimated $200 million when factoring in marketing costs. Sony had planned Madame Web as the first film in a potential franchise, but these plans were abandoned following the disastrous opening. The catastrophic failure contributed to Sony halting development on further Spider-Man Universe films after Kraven the Hunter's similar failure.

 Awards and Nominations

Madame Web received 3 wins from 6 nominations, all from unfavorable awards. At the 2025 Golden Raspberry Awards, the film earned six nominations and won three Razzies: Worst Picture, Worst Actress for Dakota Johnson, and Worst Screenplay for Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker, and S.J. Clarkson. Additional nominations included Worst Director for Clarkson, Worst Supporting Actor for Tahar Rahim, and Worst Supporting Actress for Emma Roberts.

The Razzies stated Madame Web was "a serious Razzie contender" from its February 2024 release throughout the year. Entertainment news outlets predicted it as a frontrunner for multiple categories. Johnson had previously acknowledged the film's reception, telling Bustle she wasn't surprised it "gone down the way it has" and blaming committee decision-making for ruining the project.

The film also received the ReFrame Stamp for 2024-2025 for gender-balanced hiring, awarded for hiring women in four out of eight key production roles. However, no positive recognition came from legitimate awards organizations, technical categories, or genre-specific awards like the Saturn Awards. The **3 wins from 6 nominations** reflected complete rejection from audiences and critics alike.

 Soundtrack

Johan Söderqvist composed Madame Web's score after previously collaborating with director S.J. Clarkson on Anatomy of a Scandal (2022). Madison Gate Records released the 32-track soundtrack album on February 14, 2024, the same day as the film's release. The 55-minute score featured tracks including "Peru-73," "Las Arañas," "Glimpses of the Future," and "Madame Web."

The score emphasized tension and foreboding as Cassie discovered her powers while protecting the teenagers from Ezekiel. Söderqvist created themes for Cassie's visions and the mystical spider elements connecting to her mother's research. The music attempted to bridge thriller and superhero genres, though critics largely ignored the score when reviewing the film.

The film also featured popular songs from the early 2000s to establish its 2003 setting. Music supervisor Season Kent selected needle-drops including "Dreams" by The Cranberries over end credits, "Toxic" by Britney Spears, "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes, "Miles Away" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and "Scandalous" by Mis-Teeq. The soundtrack aimed to capture early-aughts nostalgia but received minimal attention due to the film's poor reception.

 Legacy

Madame Web's legacy rests primarily in becoming a cautionary tale about committee-driven filmmaking and one of 2024's most notorious box office bombs. The $100.5 million worldwide gross against an $80 million budget represented a massive failure that helped kill Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Following Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter's December 2024 disaster, Sony halted development on all further SSU films, effectively ending the franchise.

The film inspired countless memes and became shorthand for superhero genre fatigue. Dakota Johnson's candid promotional interviews, particularly her Saturday Night Live joke and post-release admissions, generated more cultural impact than the film itself. Her statement that "art does not do well when it's made by committee" became a rallying cry for critics of corporate filmmaking decisions overriding creative vision.

Madame Web found redemption on streaming. Released on Netflix in the United States on May 14, 2024, it debuted as the most-purchased title on Fandango's VOD chart and ranked third on iTunes. The film performed strongly on Netflix despite theatrical failure, with Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra blaming critics for the box office performance. However, the streaming success couldn't overcome the film's reputation as a disaster that validated longtime criticism of Sony's approach to building a universe around Spider-Man villains without Spider-Man himself.

 Home Media

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released Madame Web for digital download on March 15, 2024, less than a month after theatrical release. The quick turnaround reflected Sony's desire to recoup losses through home media. The film released on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 30, 2024, featuring SteelBook packaging showcasing Dakota Johnson's costume.

Special features included behind-the-scenes documentaries, deleted scenes, and featurettes exploring the production. The releases attempted to position the film as misunderstood rather than addressing quality issues. Physical media sales were modest, unable to offset the theatrical disaster. The film debuted as the most-purchased title on Fandango's VOD chart following digital release but quickly dropped.

Madame Web became available on Crave in Canada on June 28, 2024, as part of Sony's long-term streaming agreement. Netflix became the film's primary venue in the United States starting May 14, 2024, where it found a second life with audiences curious about the critically panned film. The widespread streaming availability allowed viewers who avoided theaters to discover why it became one of 2024's most ridiculed releases, cementing its status as a cultural punchline rather than the franchise-launcher Sony envisioned.

 Conclusion

Madame Web stands as one of 2024's biggest box office bombs, earning just $100.5 million worldwide against its $80 million production budget to lose Sony an estimated $200 million and help end the studio's Spider-Man Universe after Sony halted further SSU development following this disaster and Kraven the Hunter's similar failure. The film received 3 wins from 6 nominations, all three wins coming from the 2025 Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Actress for Dakota Johnson, and Worst Screenplay, while earning 13% on Rotten Tomatoes and 26 on Metacritic for overwhelmingly negative reviews criticizing clunky dialogue, poor ADR work, choppy editing, and a predictable plot where the promised Spider-Women costumes appeared only briefly. Johan Söderqvist composed a 55-minute, 32-track score released by Madison Gate Records on February 14, 2024, featuring early 2000s needle-drops including Britney Spears' "Toxic" and The Cranberries' "Dreams" to establish the 2003 setting. S.J. Clarkson directed in her feature film debut from a screenplay that Dakota Johnson admitted evolved dramatically from what she initially read, with committee decision-making overriding creative vision and leading to Johnson's famous Saturday Night Live joke about AI generating a "boyfriend's perfect movie" and her post-release admission she probably wouldn't do another superhero film. The $15.1 million traditional opening weekend marked the lowest debut for any Sony Spider-Man-related film below Morbius's $39 million, collapsing 61% in its second weekend before finishing with $43.8 million domestically and $56.7 million internationally despite Sony planning the film as a potential franchise-launcher. Madame Web found redemption on Netflix starting May 14, 2024, debuting as the most-purchased VOD title and performing strongly on streaming despite theatrical failure, though this couldn't overcome its reputation as a disaster that validated criticism of building a universe around Spider-Man characters without Spider-Man himself.